KLEM News Update January 11, 2011

State, county and local road crews are beginning a cleanup process from fluffy snowfall that was continuous from Sunday through Monday. Winds have pushed some of the snow into drifts and slippery road surfaces are being reported.

All schools in Plymouth County plan to delay classes for two hours this morning (Tuesday). For an update on school and work delays listen to KLEM 1410 AM or 96.9 FM or www.snowcaponline.com/siouxland.php

Supervisors begin afternoon session of budget work

(LE MARS)--Budget requests will be passed out at the weekly meeting of the Plymouth County Board of Supervisors today.

The board hears requests from Sheriff Mike Van Otterloo at 10 this morning. The budget proposals are for the Communication Center, Jail and Sheriff's office as of July first of this year. Katie Moir of Moir Consulting meets with supervisors at 10:40 this morning to review a contract for 2011 renewal.

The quarterly report for the Recorder is presented at 10:50 today.

The board will review the 2011-12 budget proposal beginning at 1 today. The agenda item is listed for discussion and possible action.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

9:30 AMJim Henrich, Plymouth County Board Chairman1.Call meeting to order2.Approve this agenda (Action)3.Approval of prior Board meeting minutes (Action)4.Approval of claims and payroll (Signatures)5.Committee Reports (Discussion)6.Old BusinessA. Appoint Local Option Sales Tax Advisory Board member for Dist. 5 (Action)7.New BusinessA. Appoint new finance officer to the Plymouth County Compensation Commission and approve all Commission members for 2011 (Action)B. Approve 2010 Homestead and Military Allows and Disallows for 2011-12 taxes (Action)C. Open and review mail/correspondence (Discussion)D. Open public forum (Informational)

Anderson represents District 27. He says he hopes to pass legislation that helps bring sustainable jobs to Iowa as well as less growth of government.

Jurors won't report Tuesday

(LE MARS)--Plymouth County jurors do not need to report for jury duty on Tuesday, January 11, 2011.

Jurors are asked to call the clerk of court's office after 3 p-m on Monday, January 17th to find out whether to report on Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Head on collision injures three near Hawarden

(HAWARDEN)--Three people were injured in a head on collision one-and-a-half miles south of Hawarden Monday morning.

According to the Sioux County Sheriff's office, 67-year-old Boyd Chadwick of Akron was driving an S-U-V north on Highway 12. The report states Chadwick lost control of the S-U-V and entered the oncoming lane colliding with a pickup driven by 46-year-old Daniel Daily of Orange City.

Chadwick, Daily and Chadwick's passenger, 55-year-old Susan Chadwick of Akron were taken to the Hawarden Hospital by Hawarden Ambulance.

Culver to focus on tough decision in speech

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Outgoing Democratic Gov. Chet Culver says he'll focus on the tough decisions he made to improve the state's economy and balance the budget, all without raising taxes, when he delivers his final Condition of the State speech to the Legislature.

Culver will tell lawmakers on Tuesday that Iowa has had 14 straight months of economic growth, the only state that can make that claim. He says he's leaving office with the state budget posting a $950 million surplus.

people in a case involving a troubled tax-credit program designed to lure moviemakers to the state.

Miller on Monday filed felony charges against Thomas Wheeler, of Indianola, the former manager of the Iowa Film Office; Iowa filmmaker Bruce Heppner-Elgin, of Washington, who runs Iowa film Production Services; tax credit broker Chad Witter, of Bettendorf; and Denise Brouse, of Plattsmouth, Neb., who runs a production company called Changing Horses Production.

The tax-credit program was suspended in 2009 after an investigation found mismanagement and fraud.

Miller's spokesman Geoff Greenwood declined to comment on the charges, saying it's a pending case. Telephone calls to the four men's attorneys were not immediately returned Monday evening.

Iowa lawmakers observe moment of silence

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) The Iowa House and Senate opened this year's legislative session by observing a moment of silence as part of the national mourning after a shooting in Arizona that left six dead and a member of Congress critically wounded.

Lawmakers traditionally open each day's session with a prayer. But on the opening day of the session Monday, Senate Majority Leader Michael Gronstal and House Majority Leader Linda Upmeyer asked for a moment of silence to mark the shooting of U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and others on Saturday in Tucson, Ariz.

Gronstal described the shooting as senseless and noted Giffords was shot while meeting with constituents, which he says is a fundamental part of a lawmaker's duty.

2 people killed when Iowa-registered plane crashes in Colo.

WESTCLIFFE, Colo. (AP) Both people on board were killed when a small Iowa-registered plane crashed in the southern Colorado mountains.

The wreckage was found Monday, one day after the six-seat, single-engine Piper Malibu disappeared over the Sangre de Cristo range. Robert Pruiksma of Custer County Search and Rescue says both people were dead.

The plane was registered to a Waterloo, Iowa, address. Authorities haven't released the victims' names.

The search and rescue team plans to return to the mountain Tuesday to remove the bodies.

The plane left an airport north of Phoenix on Sunday and was bound for Pueblo, Colo. The wreckage was found a mile east of Blueberry Peak, a 12,005-foot mountain about 60 miles west of Pueblo and 110 miles southwest of Denver.

Bedbug scare closes Iowa office

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) The Iowa Workforce Development office in Des Moines is expected to reopen Tuesday after a bedbug scare led to it closing.

KCCI-TV in Des Moines says the office was closed Monday while parts of it were being treated. Robert Bailey of the Department of Administrative Services says dogs brought in by a pest company ``reacted positively'' to the presence of bedbugs on Saturday, but no bugs were spotted in a manual search.

Bailey says treatment of the building was done as a precaution.

While the office was closed, people could file for unemployment and search for jobs online.

Fire damages Iowa fire chief's business

ROWAN, Iowa (AP) Fire has damaged a welding shop owned by the fire chief of Rowan in north central Iowa.

The fire at Bruns Machine and Welding broke out early Monday. The shop is owned by Fire Chief Mark Bruns, who helped fight the blaze.

Rowan Mayor Berne Ketchum told the Globe Gazette of Mason City that the roof of the building is gone. The walls were also damaged.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Iowa increases fee on certain liquor sales

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Iowa liquor retailers have started the new year with a 150 percent fee increase on certain liquor sales, and without much notice from the state.

The Des Moines Register says since 1986, the state's liquor wholesaling operation charged a fee of 20 cents a bottle for so-called split cases. That's when retailers buy a few bottles instead of a case of 12.

Starting Jan. 1, the fee went up to 50 cents. Store owners say they'll have to change operations, absorb the cost or pass it on to consumers.

The Alcoholic Beverages Division had discussed upping the fee for a decade, but decided against it after protests from consumers. In October, it raised the fee, effective Jan. 1. However, the staff didn't spread the word until a Dec. 15 letter.